File No. 763.72111/534
The Ambassador in Brazil ( Morgan ) to the Secretary of State
Rio de Janeiro , October 7, 1914.
[Received October 27.]
No. 466]
Sir: Since the outbreak of the present European war, for several reasons, the Brazilian Government has found difficulty in maintaining its neutrality against the attempts of the belligerent powers, their nationals and their friends in Brazil, to frustrate the measures which it has taken to that end. Moreover, largely on account of the influence of French civilization here—manners, customs, art, and literature—the sentiment of all the States, except those in the south, is mainly with the Allies. It is reported that the German colonists in [Page 684] the States of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catharina are, in one way or another, rendering service to the German warships cruising off Brazil’s southern coast. This, however, is a matter of speculation rather than of proven fact.
The character of the popular sentiment has been shown not only in the press but also in the Chamber of Deputies where Dr. Irineu Machado, a member of the opposition, has delivered a stirring speech in favor of France and has also taken an active part in a charity fete for the benefit of the families of French reservists who have gone to the front from this country. More recently, an equally strong appeal for Germany was made in the Chamber by Dr. Dunshee de Abranches. Because of his position as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, his oration gave greater offense than that of Dr. Irineu Machado, since he appeared to speak for the Government, which, of course, he was not justified in doing. So strong, indeed, was public feeling against his attitude that his resignation as chairman of the committee was accepted as soon as it was offered and his successor was appointed. Whether a speech in favor of the Allies would have produced the same popular protest is a matter of speculation.
The presence in the Brazilian ports of a number of refugee German merchant vessels has occasioned the Brazilian Government considerable embarrassment. Consul Griffith of Pernambuco has already reported to the Department (in his despatch No. 293 of September 141) the behavior of the German steamer Patagonia, which on September 13, in disobedience to the orders of the captain of the port, suddenly and surreptitiously put to sea and was unsuccessfully chased by the Brazilian destroyer Rio Grande do Sul. The Hamburg-American steamers, Santa Lucia and Preussen, have also given trouble. After the captain of the port of Rio de Janeiro had allowed them to clear for Santos on the understanding that they were only freighted with sufficient coal and stores to proceed there, they put to sea for an unknown destination and arrived at Santos some three weeks after they sailed from here, having meantime supplied the necessities of the two German converted passenger vessels, Kronprinz Wilhelm and Cap Trafalgar. In accordance with an executive decree which was framed to meet their case, the two vessels in question are detained at Santos until the close of the war.
The waters around several groups of islands off the Brazilian coast have offered convenient places of refuge for both British and German cruisers. The lofty island of Trinidad was for some three weeks the base of operation of a group of German vessels assembled from North America, South Africa, and the River Plate for the purpose of fitting out as an armed cruiser the Hamburg South American liner Cap Trafalgar. It was near this island that the Cap Trafalgar received the guns and gun crew of the gunboat Eber, and coal and stores from the Santa Lucia and Berwind. In consequence of the unneutral use to which they have been put, the Brazilian Government, by an executive decree of September 30, arranged that a mixed garrison of soldiers and sailors should be stationed on the islands of Trinidad and Fernando Noronha. The islands of the Abrolhos, between Victoria and Bahia, are the base where a British cruiser is guarding several captured German merchantmen. A member of the Embassy staff, who passed those islands on a Lloyd Brazileiro [Page 685] vessel last Saturday, reports that there were probably five or six of these German freighters, as well as two British colliers.
It is not unfair to assume that the wireless installation on board the German merchant vessels in Brazilian ports has transmitted much information to German warships. The Brazilian authorities have attempted to stop this practice but have only partially succeeded. Under the regulations in force, belligerent merchant vessels in harbor can only use their wireless apparatus during the first forty-eight hours of their sojourn. After this period the apparatus must be disconnected and the operating cabins sealed. The Government wireless stations on land during the last month have been forbidden to transmit code messages. The Western Telegraph Company will only accept cablegrams en clair in the English and French languages, code addresses not being allowed. In spite of these precautions, I have reason to believe that considerable information filters out to the warships of all the belligerents.
I have [etc.]
- Not printed.↩